Chapter 7: Who You Know

-o X o-

AN: Next chapter will probably take a while, because I'm working on the characterization of a couple characters. On the bright side, the graduation exam and team selection will happen next chapter, so you can look forward to how an extra Hyuuga will mix things up!

-o X o-

At the Uchiha compound, a ten-year-old Sasuke and I stared down the six practice dummies set up for our shuriken practice today. Most aspiring ninja our age would be content to just hit the targets with straightforward throws. Laughable.

To the casual observer, it would look like we were operating independently, both staring down range. But my Byakugan was more focused on the subtle movements of Sasuke's hands, as he used discrete signals to prioritize targets and lay out a plan of attack. Without a word, we both drew three shuriken per hand, and let them fly. The controlled chaos that followed was beautiful- a deadly storm of spinning metal, curving and ricocheting off each other in ways an enemy would never suspect. Four of the dummies got struck by shuriken from unusual angles, while a fifth got double wrapped in sharp ninja wire. The sixth target, unfortunately, made it out scratch free, as one shuriken had been just far enough off target to tangle up its counterpart's wire and throw them both off target.

Sasuke grunted. "We missed one."

"Five out of six. We're getting better," I said with a shrug, and we both trotted towards the targets to retrieve our gear.

Sasuke just frowned. "Hn."

I rolled my eyes. "C'mon, it's not even noon yet, and we've almost got it. We can keep practicing 'til we have it down."

We had established a routine of practicing together twice a week after our academy lessons, usually one day for throwing practice, one day for sparring. Sometimes, like today, we even met up on the weekend for some additional practice. I personally preferred throwing days. My defensive taijutsu was getting better, but without the Jyuuken, I didn't have any stopping power. Sasuke won every time, even if I made him work for it.

At my mother's recommendation, I had started focusing more on the basic Academy style taijutsu, but it felt… weak. It was so simple and straightforward, so predictable. I had practiced the Gentle Fist for years, and it was far more natural and fluid. But the results spoke for themselves. My classmates were getting good enough that I couldn't beat most of them with a purely defensive style. I would have to adapt.

I had been building up the courage to ask a favor of Sasuke. Normally, it was strictly taboo to ask another ninja about his techniques. But we had developed something of a friendship over the past couple years, and a strong mutual respect for how seriously the other takes his training. I figured now was as good a time as ever.

"Hey, Sasuke," I asked.

"Hn," he replied, still a man of few words. His Uchiha pride caused him to look down on most of the other students in school (admittedly, many of them were so overtly childish that I couldn't blame him), and it's not like he had anyone at home to talk to, so his social skills were stunted, even if he didn't constantly wallow in manic depression.

"What do you think about teaching me the Uchiha Interceptor taijutsu style?"

His shoulders stiffened, and it took him a second to look at me. "No."

I sighed. "Are you sure? The Hyuuga style doesn't work for me, and the Academy Basic style kinda sucks."

Sasuke just shook his head and turned away, coiling up the loose ninja wire.

"Alright, fine," I replied, starting to untangle my own wire. "I'll just use Academy style until I graduate. Hopefully my sensei will be able to teach me something better after that."

Sasuke just grunted again. We finished cleaning up, and started walking back to our starting area. "Why not use a weapon?" he asked abruptly.

I paused. That… could work. "The other Hyuuga don't use weapons," I said hesitantly. "It didn't cross my mind."

"The other Hyuuga have Jyuuken," Sasuke replied with a huff. I guess it's as simple as that.

"I'll think about it," I said. The clan traditionalists probably wouldn't like it, but it could easily be the difference between life and death for me in the field. If I go up against a competent taijutsu specialist, I would need something that could turn the tide in my favor, that could finish the fight. I would think about what kind of weapons could fit the flowing Hyuuga movement style later. "Ready to try again?"

Sasuke simply nodded, flashed through some hand signals, and we threw another volley.

-o X o-

Sasuke declined my offer to get lunch together after training, so I decided to get some Akimichi BBQ to go before heading home. I didn't have much planned, but I could always practice my taijutsu katas some more, maybe work out a bit and then spend the evening reading a good book. The Bodacious Boar had a pretty short to-go line today, and I saw a familiar duo waiting to make their own order as I walked up.

"Hey, Shikamaru, Choji," I greeted, stepping into line behind them. "Picking up lunch? This place has the best chicken bowls in Konoha."

"Hey Tedashi!" Choji greeted me amicably. Shikamaru inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Personally, I prefer the tonkatsu. My Uncle Chozu owns this place, I'm glad to hear you like it. We're picking up some to-go meals, and then we're going to swing by Ino's flower shop to drop some off her, since she's helping her parents around the shop today. Want to come with?"

I shrugged. "Sure, sounds good to me. I don't have much planned today."

We got our food and started meandering towards the Yamanaka district, moving at Shikamaru's typical ambling pace. It was a journey made in companionable silence, none of us being particularly talkative, but I was alright with that. I was still thinking about Sasuke's advice, and considering different weapons I could try out.

The most obvious answer was, of course, a sword. It was basic, but effective. The fact that I didn't have a teacher was problematic, but I suppose that would be true regardless of what weapon I decided to pick up. Perhaps more problematic was the fact that Konoha was not known for its swordsmanship. Even if I did find someone to teach me, I'm pretty sure that the best swordsman of Konoha couldn't match up to the best swordsmen of Kiri of Kumo. Even if I were to become one of the best kenjutsu users in Konoha, I would still likely lose if I came up against an expert from one of those nations. In fact, even the non-sword users from those places probably have a wealth of experience fighting good swordsmen, which would put me at a disadvantage against even those who didn't use a sword themselves. It would still be better than nothing, I guess, but it wouldn't make me into the fearsome close-quarters combatant I wanted to be.

Other options… A mace? Maces are cool, and unusual, meaning I would probably catch my opponents off guard when I busted it out, but it was still impractical. The Hyuuga are known for speed, not muscle, and for all my disagreements with my clan, I also was growing into a body that would probably rely more on speed than power. So the big, power-based weapons like maces, axes, and flails are all out. Though the picture of a ninja tearing through a battle field with a flailing ball and chain weapon is highly amusing… if I get a chance to meet Rock Lee, maybe I could plant that idea in his head.

I needed something that relied on speed and finesse. Daggers? No, basically they are just inferior versions of swords. Nunchucks? Might Guy could pull them off, but he seemed to be the only one. I'm not sure I wanted to be trained by him, especially since he will probably end up being Neji's sensei. That was a formula for drama that I didn't need. Besides, they just seem cheesy anyway. Senbon? For one, they don't fix my melee combat problems, and two, they are generally non-lethal. Might as well just throw kunai.

By now, we were approaching the Yamanaka flower shop, so I decided to table the internal debate until another time. Maybe even until I get a jounin sensei, since I won't have anyone to teach me how to use a specialized weapon until then anyway. And who knows who my sensei will be- I hadn't really thought about it much, but my existence could cause a scrambling of the Rookie 9 teams. Would I get Kakashi? He was the best, in my opinion, as frustrating as my first interaction with him was. Asuma would be great too- maybe he could teach me how to use trench knives like he does. Electrified trench knives might be exactly what I need to step up my taijutsu game, now that I think about it, and could probably be incorporated into the defensive style of my Gentle Fist movements without too much issue. Yeah, that could work well… Now I just need to figure out how to get onto his team.

I glanced over to my companions. It would be a bit of a shame to break up the Ino-Shika-Cho combo, but they didn't really do that much in cannon, right? Maybe I could replace Choji as the durable, physical front-liner, with Ino and Shikamaru as my support. I could fight, stall, and distract as Shikamaru formed and executed a brilliant plan to win the fight, against pretty much any opponent. What was Ino's role in the team again? I don't remember her doing that much, but I think the team dynamic was particularly effective in single-target takedowns, so maybe we would be sent primarily on bounty hunter missions. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea.

We entered the shop, a little bell hanging from the door announcing our entrance. "Welcome to Yama- oh, it's you guys. Got my lunch?"

"Such a warm welcome," Shikamaru replied dryly. "Yeah, we got you. Just like you requested, Salmon fillet over vegetables, no rice, no butter."

"And no flavor," Choji muttered quietly.

Ino apparently heard. "No empty calories, more like. You have to eat healthy to have a fit body, Choji, I've told you a million times."

"We're ten, Ino, you can afford some carbs," I said, and her eyes flitted to me in surprise.

"Oh, Tedashi, I didn't expect to see you here. Are you hanging out with these bozos today?" she asked with a good-natured smirk.

"Yep. Nothing big planned for the afternoon, so I decided to tag along," I replied, then glanced around a bit. "I've never seen your shop before; I honestly didn't know there were so many different kinds of flowers."

The foyer we were standing in had a wide variety of different types, all cut and beautifully arranged, but even more impressive was the greenhouse attached to the back of the building. It had rows and rows of growing plants, each section varying in the amount of light allowed. I wondered if the Yamanaka family had found ways to artificially control temperature and moisture as well, in order to grow a wider selection of flora.

Ino grinned as she watched my eyes dart around the store. "Set the food down, Choji. I'll give you a tour before we eat lunch," she said, to Choji's visible dismay, then turned around and yelled towards another back room, "Hey Dad! I'm taking a lunch break!"

"Ok, sweetie! I'll be out in a few minutes," came a deep voiced reply from behind an "employees only" door.

Ino led us to the greenhouse, and as soon as I crossed the threshold, I felt a marked temperature difference. I assumed it was some sort of seal, and wouldn't that be useful? Setting aside the fact that there may be ways to weaponize it, it would certainly be an excellent survival tool in the field. To be able to heat a camp in the Land of Iron or Land of Snow without lighting a fire, or to cool down in the deserts of Suna. Was there some kind of limitation that prevented field use? Had no one thought of this before? Or maybe it was commonly used, and I was just unaware of the fact. Questions for another time, I suppose.

For now, my attention was commanded by the flowers and plants themselves. Ino must have noticed my sense of wonder, and commented on it.

"Are you into flowers, Tedashi?" she asked, the slightest hint of teasing in her tone. Even so, I could see that she was more curious than condescending. "Most boys, like these two simpletons, have no appreciation for this kind of place, you know. Why are you so interested?"

"I… well, it's beautiful," I commented honestly. "There's so many colors. I've never seen anything like it."

Ino seemed a bit taken aback by the blunt admission, given that young males don't normally comment on the beauty of flowers, but it was true. In my previous life, I was partially colorblind, but I never really knew what I was missing. However, the Byakugan gave me perfect vision, even when inactive- and never was that so obvious and overwhelming as today. I was seeing spectrums of red and orange and brown and green that I didn't even know existed.

Shikamaru gave me a dry look. "Why do you look so shocked? It's just a bunch of plants."

"What?" Ino interjected shrilly, turning on him. "Just a bunch of plants? Are you an idiot?" She huffed, blowing away a lock of hair that had fallen into her hair during her mini tirade. "Did you miss the giant sign indicating the ninja section over there?" She pointed to a sign, which indeed indicated that the plants were for shinobi customers.

Shikamaru just shrugged, apparently realizing that this was not a battle worth fighting.

"What makes the flowers in that section special?" I asked.

Ino's expression flipped from haughty indignation to delighted tour guide in an instant. "Well, all sorts of reasons, really. Most of them are poisonous to the touch, and can be made into toxins, sedatives, hallucinogens, etc. But some have other shinobi related uses, like scent masking or camouflage. You have to be a Chunin or higher to even peruse that section unattended, though we allow Genin if they are accompanied by a Jounin or a store employee."

"Wow, that's cool," I said, causing Ino to beam. "Some ninjas intentionally expose themselves to poisons like these, right? To build up an immunity? Are you doing that too?"

Ino's smile fell. "No way. Daddy tried to get me to do that, but it made my skin all red and puffy and ugly. There's no way I'm doing that again."

"Really?" I asked. I knew that Ino was a bit obsessive about her looks, but this was crazy. "It's only temporary, right? This kind of stuff could save your life in the future, and you won't do it because it makes you look ugly for a while? Can't you just, like, wear a sweater or something for a week?"

Ino rolled her eyes. Somehow her pupiless purple eyes enhanced the sarcastic effect. "You sound just like my dad. But I have to be on my A game all the time if I want to impress Sasuke kun. You've seen how Sakura and the other girls act around him; if I spend a whole week hiding in some kind of ugly sweater, one of those vixens will take the opportunity to swoop in for the kill, and Sasuke kun will be lost forever!"

This time, I rolled my eyes. "Do you even know Sasuke? Trust me, he's not paying attention to any of the girls trying to cling on to him. He respects strength and hard work. That's why we're friends, despite the fact we're from rival clans. If you put in some hard effort to become a strong kunoichi, it would only make him respect you more. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't even cover up the inflamed skin. Let Sasuke- and the other 'love rivals'- see that you are taking things seriously. They'll probably freak out and mock you, but you'll get the last laugh when Sasuke actually notices you and takes you seriously."

Ino frowned for a minute, thinking it over. "Are you sure that would work?" she asked skeptically. "This isn't some ploy of Sakura's, sending you to convince me to do something crazy?"

I grimaced. "I haven't said more than three words to Sakura in the past year, I think. She dislikes me by virtue of my association with Naruto. And as to the question of it this will work, well, only one way to find out. But it's not like you've had any success in the past three years, right? Nothing different will happen if you keep doing the same thing. Might as well try a new approach."

Ino sighed, then looked more resolute. "You know what, you're right. It's time for a new approach. I'll talk to Daddy about training me in poisons again."

"That's the spirit," I said with a nod. "You're lucky, really. I'm guessing that not many shinobi have a strong enough comprehension of poisons to help you safely build up an immunity. I kinda wish I could do it too, but it would be pretty stupid to try to figure it out on my own, I suppose."

"Indeed it would," came a voice from behind us. I turned around to see Inoichi approaching us. "So, Ino, you've decided you want to continue our lessons in poisons?"

Ino glanced at me, then back to her dad. "Yeah, I do. Even if it makes my skin all puffy and red again, I'll do it."

Inoichi nodded solemnly. "Having access to poisons adds utility to a ninja's skill set, and I'll only let you use poisons that you have built an immunity to. Some ninja try to use poisons without building an immunity to them first. Do you know any examples?"

We all glanced at each other, realizing it was an open question. "Uh, no?" Ino answered for us.

"That's right. Because they all die before they can make a name for themselves," Inoichi replied ominously. I noticed Choji blanch. "Rule number one of poisons: Never use a poison you're not immune to. It is inevitable that you will someday nick yourself with your own weapon in the field. With a normal weapon, this is a common and inconsequential occurrence. If you prick yourself with a poison in the field, even a sedative or hallucinogen, the consequences will likely be fatal, for you and your team. Do you understand?"

Ino nodded, looking at her father with a somber and understanding expression. Inoichi's eyes flitted to each of the rest of us in turn. "I asked, do you understand?" he repeated.

Choji, Shikamaru, and I were all a little surprised, myself most of all, but we all nodded back and answered in unison, "Yes, sensei!" His question and mannerism were so alike to Iruka's when he was in 'stern teacher mode' that our response was automatic. I blinked as I realized how effective the mental conditioning had been on all of us.

"Good," Inoichi replied. "Then you are all invited to attend Ino's poison lessons with me, Friday nights at 7pm. Tedashi kun, if you decide to partake, please get your mother's permission first. If any of you decide to go forward with this training, meet here at the flower shop at the designated time. Fair warning: it will be neither easy nor pleasant."

On that happy note, he turned on his heel and walked back into the main foyer.

"Drama queen," Ino huffed quietly, breaking the silence.

"Sounds like a drag," Shikamaru drawled. "I'm not going to extra lessons."

Choji still looked a little pale. "Yeah, I'll pass too. Poisons are scary."

"Well, I'll be there," I confirmed, drawing some looks. "I'm better at ranged combat than taijutsu anyway. Adding some poisons to my thrown weapons would be a huge advantage, and I'm not going to miss this opportunity."

Ino looked at Shikamaru. "If I have to suffer, you better believe that I'm taking you down with me. What do you think your mom will say when she hears you're turning down such a generous offer from my dad?"

Shikamaru groaned. "You wouldn't."

"She probably won't have to," I said, grinning. "Inoichi told me to ask my mom, but he didn't say anything about your parents. He might have already talked to them about it- or maybe he will shortly. You're straight out of luck." Shikamaru slumped, and a new thought hit me. "Although, it probably won't be as bad for you as you expect. I mean, we're going to be testing sedatives on ourselves eventually, right? You'll be able to use that as an excuse to get out of anything- falling asleep will actually be part of your training."

Shikamaru looked a bit mollified at that, though he still wasn't enthused with the prospect. Choji still looked nervous, but if Shikamaru came, Choji would follow.

For a brief moment, I thought about trying to scare Choji out of it. This was a way I could increase my chance of replacing him on Team Asuma; if three of us were poison immune and Choji was not, it would be a compelling reason to group us together and stick Choji on another team.

But I couldn't do it. Choji was a friend, and I couldn't bring myself to hinder his ninja arsenal. Besides, it wouldn't guarantee me a position on Team Asuma; maybe we would get assigned to a Jounin more familiar with poisons. It wasn't worth it to diminish Choji's potential for such a long shot reward.

Maybe I could meet Asuma on my own somehow, and try to ingratiate myself to him; that was a far more palatable plan. Was he back from being one of the Twelve Ninja Guardians yet? I forgot the exact timing of his stint with the group, but it wouldn't be too hard to investigate.

"Fine," Shikamaru conceded, then smiled smugly. "But I get to go last the first time we take hallucinogens. I'm actually looking forward to seeing Ino's reaction to that."

Ino punched his arm, while Choji and I laughed.

-o X o-

That evening, I was walking through a familiar district of downtown Konoha looking for a place to eat when I heard a familiar exuberant voice: "I'm like, almost the top of the class, you know! I even sparred against Sasuke teme, and almost beat him! If he wasn't so quick and slippery, I totally would have gotten him. But next time for sure! I gotta be the best to be Hokage, right?"

I smiled as I walked over and ducked under the hanging banners of Ichiraku's to drop in on my friend. "Hey Naruto, what's- oh, hello Hokage sama," I greeted, a bit surprised to see who Naruto was dining with this evening. I knew the two were close, but it was still startling to unexpectedly come across the Hokage himself; it was only the second time I had personally interacted with the village leader.

"Tedashi!" Naruto greeted happily.

"Ah, Hyuuga kun, good to see you again," the Hokage replied warmly. "Come, take a seat and eat with us. I'm sure Naruto still has many bowls to go before he is done for the evening. Assuming you don't mind the company, Naruto?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course! I was just telling jiji how awesome I've been doing in our class spars!" Naruto boasted. "Hey jiji, I even beat Tedashi, and he's super strong too!"

I grimaced a bit, but Hiruzen only smiled pleasantly. "Ah, defeating a Hyuuga in taijutsu is no small feat. You must have been training very hard." Naruto beamed. "I know how difficult it is to fight while getting your tenketsu closed. How did you deal with it?"

Naruto just looked confused, and I shrunk in my seat a bit. "Eh? Tenketsu? Oh, you mean that thing that Hinata chan does!" Naruto exclaimed with dawning realization.

"Ah, actually, Hokage sama, I can't use the Jyuuken," I said, noticing him raise an eyebrow. "It has to do with my lightning chakra nature, I guess. I can't solidify my chakra into solid blocks."

"Hmm, I see. I suppose that would be considered a disadvantage for a Hyuuga," he said neutrally. He gazed at me intently for a minute. "What do you think about the matter, Hyuuga kun? Are you going to stick with the Gentle Fist style?"

I shrugged. "I'm learning the Academy style too, but it just doesn't feel right, after spending so much time using the Gentle Fist. I am getting pretty good at ranged weaponry, but I don't want to be completely hopeless in close combat. A friend suggested I try using a weapon, but I don't even know where to begin finding what would work for me."

Hiruzen looked thoughtful for a moment. "Yes, I don't recall any precedence for Hyuuga using a weapon, let alone incorporating it into the general Gentle Fist style. You would want something that doesn't inhibit your movement, and allows for the characteristic sweeping, rotating movements. There are some kenjutsu users who fight with that kind of style. Have you considered using a sword?"

"Woah, yeah, swords are awesome, y'know!" Naruto exclaimed, ramen dripping out of his mouth at the outburst. "Don't you think so, Tedashi?"

I was silent for a minute. It was one thing to privately, mentally discredit the idea of the sword, but to straight up tell the Hokage that I thought Konoha was inferior to the other villages in swordsmanship was a bit too intimidating. "I… don't know who would teach me," I settled on after a minute.

Hiruzen cracked a small smile, and I wondered if he saw more in that answer than I verbally gave him. "Hm, indeed. Well, I would suppose that would be a problem regardless of what kind of weapon you choose, would it not?" I cringed a bit, but he continued. "Regardless, if you don't want to use a sword, there are countless varieties of ninja weapons you can take up. Have you ever considered the bo staff? It's not a common weapon in serious combat, but I'm a bit partial to it myself. One of its greatest advantages is how easily it can be adopted into other taijutsu styles, and I have found that its reputation of being non-lethal leads to many opponents underestimating the user. Though, I admit, I may have had a hand in changing people's perception of the weapon, particularly among the older generations of the other villages," he finished with a wry grin. "Still, I should think it would be a fine choice, if you wanted to try it out."

"Pshh, a staff?" Naruto asked impetuously. "Why would anyone use a staff when they could use a sword? Or an axe? Or something awesome?"

The Hokage and I smiled in unison. "You make a very good point Naruto," I said, still grinning widely. "Hokage sama, do you have anywhere you would recommend for picking up a new bo staff?"